The present invention relates to a rack formed of a plurality of profiled bars arrayed vertically and horizontally.
Such racks can be used as sales stands at fairs and in shops, as display racks, and as open racks, and also as articles of furniture. The racks may also include walls and doors of any material.
The invention is directed at developing the rack in such a manner that inserts, for intance, trays, brackets, shelves and other supporting elements, and wall elements, such as walls of solid material or glass as well as doors, can be fastened without holes, slots, threads or other nattractive cuts in the material having to be made.
This object is achieved according to the invention, wherein the rack is comprised of a plurality of profiled bars, with at least four such bars oriented vertically. The vertical bars are joined by horizontal bars at junctions defined at the ends of the bars where they meet. Each vertical bar has at least two longitudinally extending grooves defined in from its surface and spaced apart around its circumference. The two grooves are spaced about 45.degree. away from each other. In a bar of rectangular cross-section, a first one of the grooves extends on one side and the second one of the grooves extends along one corner. The grooves are adapted to clamp fast in them a structure element for supporting another object. The grooves are placed on the bars so that the first groove of one bar faces toward and is opposite the first groove on an adjacent bar, while the second groove on the bar faces into the interior or central area of the rack. The first grooves enable wall-like elements to be supported to extend between the two adjacent bars having the facing grooves. The second grooves are placed to enable supports to be provided for supporting something that extends in or is supported in the interior area of the rack. In a more preferred embodiment, each of the vertical bars also has a third groove which is spaced about 90.degree. around the circumference of the bar from the first groove, and the second groove is between the first and second grooves, being spaced about 45.degree. away from each of them. With this arrangement, there is a respective one of the first and third grooves facing toward a respective one of the first and third grooves on each next adjacent vertical bar.
In the preferred embodiments, the grooves widen into the bars, and particularly they they are dovetail shaped.
The invention enables the rack to be used in very diverse ways for the purposes indicated above. Further, inserts, such as walls, panes of glass and doors, can be fastened without holes or threads because elements are clamped in respective longitudinal slots in the profiled bars. The elements can be displaced into any desired position in and along the longitudinal slots and can be clamped in desired positions therein.
At a junction between three bars, two horizontal and one vertical, a plug connection may be provided between the profiled bars such that no holes, slots or threads are necessary and the plug connection is not visible from the outside. This enables simple assembly and provides an esthetically attractive appearance for the rack. The plug connection comprises three projecting elements, with each element oriented to extend into the respective end of a profiled bar, for supporting all three bars at the junction. The free ends of the bars are mitered or shaped so that when the plug connection is plugged into the ends of the bars, the mitered ends of the bars meet and the plug connection is hidden inside the bars.
In one preferred form, the bars meeting at the plug projection are hollow and are shaped internally to define two narrow width grooves spaced apart 90.degree. around the bars. The plug connection comprises projecting plug elements which define angled legs that project into the respective grooves inside the bars.